Behind closed doors
by solveariddle
Summary: When Norma makes an emergency call and doesn't say her name, Alex is led to believe it could've been her who died, taking his worry and anger out on her when he finds out the truth. Save that he didn't expect their argument to get so heated. / How Normero possibly could have happened during Season Three.


**A/N:** Re-watching parts of Season Three, I was reminded of something that had always bothered me. When Norma makes the emergency call after Annika Johnson died and only says "she's dead" but doesn't give her name, I wondered if Alex thought it could have been her who had died. And what better set-up for an angry-sexy encounter that gets VERY heated? Enjoy!

Rating for content and language. Alex doesn't censor himself when he's angry, especially not when Norma is the reason for it. ;)

 **Disclaimer:** Not mine. Bates Motel belongs to A&E. I'm just killing time until Season Five.

* * *

Darkness flew past as Sheriff Alex Romero was speeding through the night. The roads were slippery, a light snowfall had set in, and he barely retained control over his car when it almost swung off in a bend. He didn't lay off the gas, though, until he saw the motel sign, his car slithering across the gravel before it came to a halt.

The spot in front of the motel was crowded with police cars and paramedics, the flashing red and blue lights bathing the scene in an eerie light.

"Where is she?" Romero yelled at no one in particular as he jumped out of the car, his eyes darting here and there but not finding the familiar frame he was looking for.

 _Someone's been shot. I'm at the Bates Motel, Highway 88._ The emergency call had come in approximately 30 minutes ago. _Please send someone. I think she's dead._ When it came to the usual residents, there lived only one woman at the motel, her name more often than not the epitome of a nuisance but suddenly the cause of something else, something that had forced him to speed over here even though it had been highly dangerous given the slick roads during this time of the year. The old landlines suck, especially in the middle of an upcoming winter storm like today. No matter how often he had listened to that emergency call, it had been impossible to identify the voice due to the constant crackle aside from the fact that it was the voice of a woman. So who had called and who had been shot?

"Where is she?" Romero yelled again, everyone's attention on him now. "Where is Norma Bates?" He had called her on his way over a dozen times, but she hadn't picked up.

He stopped when he almost stumbled over the body lying in front of the motel office. He should just take a look, get it over with, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. What if it was her?

There was some commotion in the motel office and then she appeared in the doorframe.

"I'm here," Norma said slightly annoyed, misinterpreting his tone of voice and behavior. "Gee, sorry I'm such an inconvenience."

For a moment he just stood and stared, remembering another time he had come here after her emergency call. It had been the night one of his deputies, Zack Shelby, had almost succeeded in killing her and her sons. _Somebody's trying to kill us. The Bates Motel 4019, Highway 88. Please hurry, send the police._ It had been different back then, felt like a lifetime ago not only several months. He had driven over to check the situation, but she had meant nothing to him at that time whereas now… Everything had changed.

"Hello?" Norma waved at him impatiently, jolting him out of his thoughts. "There's a dead woman over there in case you're interested, you know, since you're _the sheriff_ of White Pine Bay."

God, she was top-notch at being annoying, making air quotes although, or maybe because, the way she had said _sheriff_ could as well have been meant as an insult. Romero disregarded the body; his staff would take care of it. Instead he approached Norma quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling her with him.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, the action taking her by surprise.

While Norma was struggling a bit but not actually resisting, Romero tried out the motel room doors until he found one that was unlocked, a glimpse into the room telling him that the guests had already checked out.

"Get in here." He dragged Norma along, her irritated hiss balm for his inner turmoil.

The moment they were inside, Alex turned around, closing the door behind her so that Norma was trapped between it and his body. She flinched and tried to take a step back, away from him, but there was nowhere to go, only her stifled gasp giving away that she was affected by the situation. Aside from that she didn't bat an eyelash. Not Norma. No matter what happened to her, she usually had experienced worse.

"Is it so hard?" he growled without preamble.

"What are you talking about?"

" _Someone's been shot. I think she's dead_ ," he quoted her words. "Who was I supposed to think was dead, huh?" For half an hour or so Norma had let him believe it could have been her just because she had been too lazy to give her name. "Stop making emergency calls without saying your fucking name. Or at least answer your damn phone." Alex was thankful that there was a lot going on outside, the bustling activity drowning that he had screamed the last part.

She paused, staring at him, raising an eyebrow because of his swearing. He didn't lose control easily; she knew that. Then Norma narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

"Oh," she breathed, leaning back against the door in a way that could only be described as sultry. Something she had never done before, not when he was around. Then she shifted her position, pushing her hip forward against him in the process, all the while holding his gaze.

What did he expect? An apology? Not if the recipient of his anger was one Norma Bates. If she had been uncertain whether he was attracted to her or not, his over the top reaction had erased every doubt and now she had the upper hand. Or not.

Alex moved even closer, if possible, supporting himself against the door, his hands positioned left and right next to Norma's head, deliberately confining her, the entire situation borderline harassment. His body was pressed against hers. They had hugged before, but this was a completely different sensation, much more intimate, his anger an unpredictable component. He wasn't sure what he was up to, what he was trying to prove. Something. She couldn't play with his feelings like that and expect to get away scot-free.

Norma's eyes darted back and forth between his eyes and his mouth. He could smell her, not only her perfume, a seductive fragrance he had noticed countless times before. No, he could smell the essence of her – her skin, her hair, the molecules that defined Norma Bates. Alex felt her body shift due to his weight, one of his legs slipping between hers as a result. It caused a brief flicker of fear in her eyes and he tensed, prepared to take a step backwards and let her go, highly cognizant of Norma's history as a victim of violence and sexual abuse. But the flicker vanished just as fast as it had appeared, only to be replaced by that mischievous expression of hers he hated or loved to hate or…

"My name is Norma Bates. I'm at the Bates Motel. Someone's been shot. Please send the Big Daddy of White Pine Bay," Norma rephrased her 911 call, her voice definitely not sounding as if she was in an emergency situation.

"Don't do that," he barked.

"Don't do what?" Acting the innocent when she was anything but, her hot breath brushing his face with every word she spoke.

This was nothing like Alex had thought it would be. He was losing control of the situation fast and startled when he felt her hand creep up on the back of his neck, stroking him. It felt much too good. He had to stifle an appreciating moan, the urge to close his eyes, to give himself to her touch and let happen whatever would happen overwhelming.

"Don't do what?" Norma repeated in a whisper, reminding him of who was in control and who not.

"Don't play with me," he admitted. She knew he was at her mercy, no need to pretend.

Alex expected Norma to say something witty in return, something that would've had no other purpose than to tease him, but for some reason she didn't, only looked at him instead, her expression suddenly changing. Whatever she had seen in his eyes, it nearly scared her. Then the lascivious smirk playing around the corners of her mouth was back, her pupils fully dilated, her tongue sneaking out to lick her lips. He wanted to kiss her so bad, wanted _her_ so bad, his body reacting to their close proximity of its own accord. Alex pulled his lower body away from hers, but it was too late; she had already noticed.

"Oh," Norma breathed again, her eyelids briefly fluttering. She didn't even try to gloss over what just had happened.

He should get away from her, should end this, whatever it was, but Alex couldn't bring himself to do it, at a loss as to why they had come here in the first place. Something about an emergency call and him wanting to teach her a lesson. Yeah, that had went well so far. Only now he became aware that her one hand was still touching the back of his neck while the other must have reached out to grab his hip because he felt her pulling him back towards her, their bodies colliding rather ungently. Norma didn't seem to mind, however, closing her eyes at the impact, letting her head drop against the door while biting her lip. Jesus Fucking Christ. This woman would be the death of him.

Their mouths were so close that their breath was mingling. Whenever he tried to capture her lips with his, though, Norma tilted her head a little, teasing him, prolonging the anticipation. Alex returned the favor by gently rocking his hips against hers, indulging in the way her breathing changed whenever he did it. He couldn't remember pulling her leg up; it probably had happened around the time when he had snuck his other arm around her waist or perhaps a bit lower. No one could expect him to be reluctant when there were too many body parts of her left he needed to touch, uncertain when he would get another chance to do so.

They were beyond the point of no return, way beyond actually. The clothes had to go. Just when Alex leaned back to look at Norma, to seek for permission in her eyes that she wanted this, too, there was a knock on the door.

"Sheriff Romero? We need you."

They both froze. Then he heard and felt her unzipping his pants.

"Norma..." he gasped out quietly, a warning or a plea; he didn't know.

The slow dance of her cool hands on his heated skin was sweet torture.

"I'll come out in a minute," he said loud enough to be heard outside.

Norma appreciatively raised an eyebrow with regard to his self-control, her face flushed, her blonde locks in an alluring disarray. He couldn't remember ever having seen a woman so turned on by his arousal. How could she be so sexy considering the demure way she often dressed? How could he want her that much? And most of all, why had they waited so long to do this?

No more prolonging. He kissed her, cursing silently when he realized that she had chosen this of all days to wear pants. Once more, he underestimated her though. Count on Norma Bates to get rid of the bothersome item as gracefully and quickly as possible.

Neither of them considered it a viable option to make themselves comfortable and simply use the bed. In a twisted way that Alex wouldn't even question in hindsight the roughness of the physical act, right there at the motel room door, felt like the punishment Norma deserved for putting him through the agony of making him believe she was dead.

At some point it occurred to him that they must be able to hear them outside, at least some of her soft moans of pleasure or some of the hard, rhythmic thumps when his body was pressing hers against the door, but he was too far gone to do something about it, not when her whispered _yes_ and _please_ were a breeze against his neck. Just when he was starting to worry how he could hold on long enough for both of them to enjoy this, Norma gave a whimper and he felt her inner muscles tighten around him. He pulled her leg up even higher above his hip to change the angle before he grabbed her bottom with both of his hands, something Alex had been wanting to do for as long as he couldn't even remember anymore. And then every coherent thought was gone.

Slowly the variety of sounds from outside seeped in as they were both panting, clinging to each other in the aftermath. Norma was shivering; it was cold in the motel room, the heating probably turned off. Alex hated to let go of her, but she needed to get warm. Let alone that the position they were in was not exactly comfortable.

"Here..." He picked up her pants as well as her panties, silky and blue as he noticed only now. "Um… You should get dressed. It's really cold in here." Why was he embarrassed? They'd just had sex. But touching her underwear felt even more intimate somehow.

"Yeah. Thanks."

He needed to say something that would defuse the awkward situation. She would leave any moment.

"Oh, shit!" Norma had seen something through the window.

Alex looked over her shoulder. It was Norman, standing there frozen in place, wearing only his bathrobe although it was snowing.

"I have to go." She turned around, already on her way out when he grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Norma..." He needed to know what it had meant, _if_ it had meant anything at all.

She hesitated before she gave him an uncertain smile. "Why don't you join us for dinner? Maybe tomorrow when everything has calmed down."

"I'd love that."

Norma leaned into him, and for a brief moment, he thought she would kiss him, but then she simply walked out, a cold wind blowing in the moment she opened the door. Alex watched her go over to Norman and talk to him, Dylan joining them. He stepped outside, too, and momentarily was in the middle of the bustling activity again as if nothing had happened.

Nothing at all.

* * *

The End

 _Just in case you were wondering: The flash drive Annika gave Norma was safely tucked away in Norma's bra all the time, just as it was in the episode. It didn't matter for the story because Alex was busy with other parts of her body and therefore Norma didn't need to worry that he would find it. ;))_


End file.
